Mowing and reaping machine



2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

L.M.HAWES. MOWING AND REAPING MACHINE.

No. 281,872. Patented July 24, 1882 .ams

NA mns mmunwgnpm, wumnpm me (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N L. M. HAWES. I MOWING AND NBAPING MACHINE.-

Patented July 24, 1883.

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UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI M. HAVVES, OF HAMPTON FALLS, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

MOWING AND REAPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,872, dated July 24, 1883.

Application led November 13, 1882.

To all i12/1,0m, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, LEVI M. HAWEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hampton Falls, in the county of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing Machines, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or iigures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mowing and reaping machines; and it consists of knives with four cutting-edges, two cutterbars, which are combined with machinery, and carrying means.

From the following description and claims my invention will be fully understood.

Referring to. the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my machine; Fig. 2, a section view ofthe two driving-wheels and the chainbelt wheel between them, 011 line x x, Fig. l; Fig. 3, an end view of the hub of the chainbelt wheel. Fig. 4 is a similar view ofthe sleeves that are used on the hub of the said wheel; Fig. 5, an elevation section view of the machine; Fig. 6, a plan section view of the two iinger-bars, two knife-wheels, and gearing. Fig. 7 is an elevation view of the same, except the bars; Fig. 8, an end view of the iron or steel plate before it is bent into the finger-bar, as shown by same view, Fig. 9. Fig. 10 is a detached section view of the iinger-bar, ngers, and knives; Fig. l1, an end view of the iinger-bar with fingers attached; Fig. l2, a detached plan view of the chain of four-edged cutting-knives; Fig. 13, an edge view of the same.

The two finger-bars A5 A5 are rigidly combined in V form. I prefer the angle to be about one hundred degrees. In the outer end of each of thev said finger-bars is fixed in the usual manner one sprocket or knife wheel, B6 or BT, which, with two similar wheels, B B', Fig. 6, at the junction of the two iinger-bars, carry two endless chains, Fig. l0, of fouredged cutting-knives, A2, Fig. l2. Motion is imparted to the said knife-chains by the two driving-wheels BZ B3, Fig. l, which are rigidly (No model.)

fixed on axle C. On said axle, between said wheels, is the sprocket or chain-belt wheel B4, which is connected with said driving-wheels by the sleeves D D, Fig. 2. rlhe chain belt E passes from wheel B4 to sprocketwheel B5, thiswheel B5 being connected by a double set of shafting, F F, and beveled gearing F F2 to the knife-wheels B B, which, with the knifewheels B6 B in the outer ends of the lngerbars, carry the knife-chains, as before stated. The two sleeves D D are provided with teeth E', Fig. 4, 011 the outer end of each, which engage in corresponding spaces in the -hubs of the driving-wheels B2 B3. The sleeves are held engaged with the driving-wheels by means of the thrust-springs D2 D3, and may be disengaged, at the pleasure of the driver in seat G, by drawing toward him the hand-lever G', which is connected to the sleeve-bars HH by the rod G. These bars, with end pieces, H2 H3 Ht, and center piece, H5, form the eombined sleeve-bars. (See dotted lines in Fig. l.) They are thus pressed against the sleeve-shoulders D4 D5, disengaging the sleeves from the driving-wheels B2 B3, and also arresting the motion of chain-belt wheel B* by acting as a brake on the shoulders D4 D". The hub of the wheel'B* is provided with projections D6 D7, Fig. 3, which enter into spaces DS D, Fig. 4, in the sleeves.

The cutting-knives A2 are nearly octagonal in form, each knife having four cutting-edges, the bevel on each edge being on the upper side of the knife when at work. Said knives and links A3 are riveted together, except where the two ends of a chain are connected. These ends are attached by a screw or otherwise, so as to be readily separated for the purpose of reversing the chain or grinding the knives. The knife-wheels at the outer ends of the linger-bars and those at the base are similarly constructed, having a deep groove and recesses in their peripheries for the reception of one side of the knives, and two rows of teeth, C C2, which enter in between the knives, and upon which the sides of the links impinge as the said wheels revolve.

At, Fig. 8, represents the form of the iron or steel plate before it is bent and formed into a iinger-bar. (See A5, Fig. 9.)

In Figs. 10 and ll are shown plan and end views ofthe manner of attaching the fingers IOO A5 to the finger-bar A5, and also the peculiar form, and the angle of the fingers to the finger.- bar, which is about forty-five degrees. The prongs of the bifurcated shank are secured to the finger-bar at different points to obtain permanence and other apparent advantages. The fingers are longer than those used in ordinary machines, and are placed closer together on the finger-bar. This arrangement, taken in connection with continued motionof the knives and the powerful draw cut given them, enables this machine to cut grass or grain with much power.

The two finger-bars A5 A5 are rigidly fixed or inserted into sockets in the base or inner shoe, I, the two bars being at an angle of about one hundred degrees, and in length sufficient to cut a swath of grass or grain ten or twelve feet in width, or even wider. The braces I I2 strengthen the finger-bars. The small trucks I I* carry the weight of that part of the machine, ordinary shoes being at the extreme ends of the finger-bars. The base I of the finger-bars is attached by a hinge or joint, I5, to the swivel-joint j, which is connected with the axle Gby the bars f* f5, by means of which the finger-bars are held in position and adapted to the ground-surface.

In the rear of the driving-wheels B2 B5, and attached to the axle C, is a frame, 7c k, on carrying-wheels a a and a folding axle, b b, to which the horses are attached by the dragbars c c and shafts c`7 c. The driver can, by means of the roller d, which is provided with a ratchet, cl', and hand-lever d, take up or let out the chain belt c, which passes to the stand- Yards f an d j, the latter standard being set in the base I of the finger-bars. In this manner the finger-bar can be raised or lowered at pleasure.

In passing through narrow gates or on narrow roads, the rods g g g2 g5 may be removed, and the carrying-wheels a a and the axle I) b', by means ofthe four hinge-joints i i" 712i, may be folded back to the short axle 71., which change is shown by dotted lines. The folding axle may be attached to the short axle by bolts and keys or otherwise. The finger-bars A5 A5 and connections with axle C may be folded and elevated over the driving-wheels for transportation. By means of belt-chain e and standard f the finger-bars and base may be first brought to an upright position over the hinge I5 and supported by the bars j j 2. lVhen in this position, the lever d2 on the platform d may then be used to take up the beltchain e, which is attached to the top of standardsff by means of a cross-bar. They, with the braces f2 f5 and the bars ff5 f5, make the frame f5. This frame raises the finger-bars, base, and s\\f*ive1-joint upward until the bars f5 f5 are perpendicular, and the standards ff are lying horizontally on the frame-bars 7c 7c. The finger-bars are now directly over the driving-wheels, and may be turned aside into any desired position by means of the swiveloint j. By means ofthe drag-bars 0 0, the shafts 05 c3 are placed at the extreme ends of the folding axle b b, thus enabling the driver and horses to guide and turn the machine more easily than by any other method. The teeth of the sleeves D D, being cam-shaped, force -the sleeves back from the hubs of the driving-wheels when the machine is moved backward. The lips K K on the hub of beltwheel Bl serve to protect the thrust-springs D2 D5. The shafting and gearing, Fig. 6, may be covered by an iron shell.

By using bushing in the two holes of the cutting-knives, the two sides of the links may vbe rigidly riveted together. By means of the swivel-j ointj, either of the finger-bars may be elevated oirdepressed to suit the surfaceV of the ground or to pass an obstruction. As but one of the four cutting-edges of the knives can be used at the saine time, it can be readily seen that the reversible chain of knives is equal to four sickles of the ordinary machines.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The driving-wheels B2 B5 and axle C, in combination with the sprocket or belt wheel B", having two sleeves, D D, provided with teeth to engage the hubs of the driving-wheels B`l B, the shoulders D" D5, projections D Dl, spaces D5 D, thrust-springs D2 D5, and lips K K', substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The above described sprocket or belt wheel B, in combination with the chain belt E, the central sprocket-wheel, B5, the single shaft F F, and the double set of bevel-gearing F F5, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a mower or reaper, the sprocket-wheel B5, in combination with the single shaft F F, double set of bevelgearing F F2, knifewheels B B, and two chains of knives, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The above-described blades A2 and plates A, in combination with sprocket-wheels B B5, whereby the four cutting-edges of said blades may be used alternately without separating the blades from the plates or chain, substantially as set forth.

5. The central base or shoe, I, in combinati on with the finger-bars A5'A5, rigidly attach ed thereto, substantially as set forth.

6. The central base or shoe, I, provided with truck-wheels I I, in combination with finger-bars A5 A5, substantially as set forth.

7 In a mower or reaper, the central hingejoint, I5, in combination with base I, provided with trucks, and the two finger-bars A5 A5, substantially as set forth.

8. The central swivel-joint, j, in combination with the central hinge-joint, I5, the base I, and the finger-bars A5 A5, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The bars j j2, in combination with the base I and finger-bars A5 A5, whereby said base and finger-bars are supported in an upright position prior to being elevated over drivingwheels, substantially as set forth.

l0. The roller d, provided with a hand-le- IOO IIO

ver, cl2, and ratchet d', the belt-chain e, the frame f7, the axle C, and the standard f', in combination with the base I, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The roller d, provided with a hand-le ver, d2, and ratchet cl', the belt-chain e, the frame f7, and axle C, in combination with the swivel-joint j, the hinge-joint I5, and base I, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

12. In a mower or reaper, the axle C, in combination with the frame-bars 7c 7c fjand the frame f l, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

13. The sleeve-barsH H', provided with end pieces, I-I2 H3 H4, center piece, H5, and rod G2, in combination with clutch-sleeves D D, provided with shoulders DD, and thrust-springs D`Z D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

14. In a mower or reaper, the axle bb', pro- 16. In a mower or reaper, the axleb b', having four hinge-j oints, and provided with carrying-wheels a a, drag-bars c c', and thills c2 c, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17. The folding axle b b', provided with carrying-wheels a a', drag-bars e c', and thills c2 e3, in combination with axle h, substantially as and for the lpurposes set forth.

18. The rods g g g2 gi, :in combination with the bars kk, the folding` axle b b', and the axle l1,

LEVI MELCHER HAWES.

Vitnesses:

GEORGE J. CURTIS, E. D. HAWEs. 

